VÖX-Amazon




http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/10/vox_amazon_01.jpg

Quote :

"Custom-built 600 horsepower Volvo Amazon thunders into the show October 31, 2006 (Las Vegas, Nevada) – Classic American muscle cars are a rarity at the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) tradeshow in Las Vegas. But a classic Swedish hot rod at the show is about as rare as ordering pickled herring "your way" at the local Burger King. But this year will be different. Sitting proudly among the three exciting highly customized Volvo C30s, this 1967 Volvo Amazon should attract plenty of admiring stares from the show's 100,000-plus attendees. But getting here wasn't easy. At the 25th jubilee of the Vallåkra Custom Car Meet outside Landskrona, Sweden last summer, Mattias Vöcks's classic Amazon estate was voted best car to represent Sweden and its car-customisation enthusiasts at the annual SEMA tradeshow in Las Vegas. SEMA is the venue for the world's largest custom-car show. Of the 600 or so customized Volvos on display at the Vallåkra Meet, about 30 were entered to take part in "Sweden's Hottest Volvo" contest. The jury's brief was to choose a car that stands out from the crowd, one that will pull at the heartstrings of the discerning American public. The jury's justification for selecting the "VÖX-Amazon" is as follows: "This is a car that represents true Swedish car-building art with its focus on high build quality and unique detailing. It reflects personal craftsmanship of the very highest order. This is a car that stands out from the crowd while at the same time acknowledging a Swedish motoring icon that turns 50 this year. Finally, the winner truly epitomizes the title of "Sweden's Hottest Volvo" with its 600 horsepower under the hood." When the judging was complete, it was Vöcks who walked away with the grand prize: An expense paid trip for him and his Amazon to the glittering lights of Sin City. Vöcks, 27, has long been active in automotive circles. In fact, his hobby indirectly led to him earning his living at sports-car manufacturer Koenig. His most recent creation, a Volvo P1800, aroused considerable attention when it was unveiled. "Volvo is the make that I like most and I have actually customised several Amazons previously. It all began when I was given an old Amazon by my grandmother, and it's continued ever since," said Vöcks. The jury consisted of Volvo Personbilar Sverige President Thomas Andersson, Volvo's STCC driver Robert Dahlgren, press officer Bo Larsen of Volvo Cars Sweden, Leif Tufvesson who is a professional car builder, and Per Östman and Bertil Wilhelmsson from motoring magazine Bilsport and Vallåkra Meet, respectively."

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/01/sema-v-x-amazon-the-retro-volvo-stunner/

11/5/2006 8:42:06 PM

Caresto V8 Speedster Concept
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http://s2.desktopmachine.com/pics/Volvo_Caresto_179_1024x768.jpg
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Quote :

"Hotrod with a Volvo heart Leif Tufvesson is one of Sweden’s most skilled specialist car constructors, with many of his cars having received serious international acclaim. The hottest of them all right now is the new Caresto V8 Speedster, a mid-engined car with an ethanol powered Volvo V8 unit. With the advent of the V8 Speedster, the term Sport Rod has been born. The car will be given its premiere public outing at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. Leif Tufvesson, who in 2004 won the prestigious “Hotrod of the year” award from Hotrod Magazine, now returns with a completely new car. Leif previously worked for the Volvo Concept Center, and for 6 years was responsible for the development department of the Swedish sports car manufacturer, Koenig. He has now started to construct and manufacture his own cars. His cars have won innumerable prizes over the years and, among others, have received a great deal of acclaim at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas – the largest exhibition platform for specialist car constructors in the world. The latest project is a mid-engine Hotrod powered by a Volvo V8. The car is completely constructed in aluminum and carbon fiber with an advanced sports car chassis fitted with Öhlin shock absorbers. The question is whether or not this is a genuine Hot Rod that Leif has now built. “Actually, it’s a sports car with a design idiom that is a further development of the classic Hotrod. Perhaps it could establish a new school of thought and coin the term Sport Rod. My idea was to build a car that was as much fun to drive as it was to look at. Road-holding characteristics have never been the hallmark of traditional Hotrods,” says Tufvessson. The cars are designed with just this in mind – excellent road holding with an ideal 60/40 (back/front) weight distribution The car is extraordinarily well built, with millimeter precision in every part of the bodywork. The leather interior is exquisitely crafted with a nostalgic retrospective feel. The steering wheel, instruments and gear selector come from Volvo, as does the V8 engine, the 6-speed automatic transmission and the car’s electrical system. The engine is tuned with the environment in mind, and has been converted to ethanol by Scandinavia’s leading car tuning company BSR. Leif Tufvesson has built and designed the entire car himself, though he has taken advantage of his wide contact network of sub-contractors in terms of paint finish, interior fittings and CAD-milling. Everything else is manufactured and assembled in his workshop in the old brickworks outside Ängelholm in the south of Sweden. It has taken Leif less than two years to build his SEMA display car and one similar to it, which is residing back home. The two cars are identical, though in different colors. Leif and his company, Caresto, a name also sported on the grill of the car, had two objectives when building the cars: “On one hand the aim is to sell the cars and it is my hope to build at least six examples of this particular model. On the other hand it is, in fact, for my own enjoyment’s sake, because I love building cars. It’s my hobby and at the same time, it’s my job.” An interested buyer would have to be prepared to pay around 2.5 million Swedish kronor (approximately $338,000). But then, he would also have a tailor made and unique car, manufactured in extremely high-tech materials and with the high performance of an advanced sports car. Many experts within the motoring world have praised Tufvesson for the high level of quality and attention to detail on his cars. The whole exterior and interior design has also received equal amounts of acclaim – an area where Leif has collaborated with car designer Per Gyllenspetz, who, with his 20 years of design experience, has guided the design. A number of the car’s different components deserve special mention. The removable composite hardtop is a great example of Tufvesson’s craftsmanship. The three integrated rear-view cameras, the advanced techniques of the rear lights as well as the CAD-milled aluminum details such as wheel spindles, exhaust panel, interior details and the lamp housing for the Hella Xenon headlights. A detail such as the temperature controlled hood that opens automatically for additional cooling just shows how everything has been completely well thought through. And finally, Tufvesson has also succeeded in producing an extremely inspiring exhaust note from Volvo’s new V8 engin. It sounds more racing than cruising, which is perhaps the hallmark of a real Sport Rod. Technical specifications: Chassis: Custom built tubular-steel frame with front and rear sub-frames. Suspension: Front: * Double A-arms of polished stainless steel. * Öhlin’s coil over shock absorbers, mounted inboard. Rear: * Double A-arms of polished stainless steel. * Öhlin’s coil over shock absorbers. Body: Hand crafted aluminium. Carbon composite. Removable roof panel/hard top. Engine: Mid-mounted V8, 4.4 litres, Volvo B8444S. Ethanol converted by BSR, Sweden Power output: * gasoline, 315 bhp at 5850 rpm. * ethanol, 340 hp at 5850 rpm Gearbox: Six-speed Geartronic automatic transaxle with sequential manual shifting. Brakes: Anti-lock brake system. Brembo 4-pot callipers. Ø 355 mm (14”) brake discs. Wheels: Colorado Custom Gunnison Dimension front: 20 x 8.5”. Dimension rear: 22 x 10”. Tires: BF Goodrich G-force Front: 245/35/20 Rear: 295/45/22 Fuel tank: Aluminium. Volume: 65 litres. Curb weight: 1200 kg (2646 lbs)."

11/5/2006 8:43:56 PM

I WISH I HAD NEVER SOLD MY 122S

11/5/2006 8:50:22 PM